[NPV]

Originally Posted by sam_hyd

I am planning a trip to pondicherry on 9th August. I stay near Whitefield in Bnagalore. Now I am confused on whether to take the Kishnagiri route or Kolar route. Please suggest which route will be faster.

I would suggest taking Whitefield-Old Madras Road-Kolar-Chittoor-Vellore-Arcot-Vandavasi-Cheyyar route but it also depends what time you start from Bangalore, if it's early morning before 6am, traffic may be less upto Chittoor.

Other option is to take the Whitefield-Sarjapura-Attibele-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Arcot-Vandavasi-Cheyyar route.

[Mohanan]

Folks,

I just returned from Pondi this morning. I stuck to my standard route Hosur- Krishnagiri-Vellore- Arni- Chetpet- Gingee- Tindivanam- Pondicherry.

The road conditions are superb all throughout.

Bangalore to Vellore: Great highway, watchout for the diversions.
Vellore- Arni- Chetpet- Great roads for 90% stretch. When you cross the Arni town and Chetpet town it is a bit crowded.
Gingee-Tindivanam- Roads are 75% good.
Tindivanam- Pondicherry- New 4 lane road. Floor the pedal!

[karanp23]

I would recommend you to stick to Whitefield - Sarjapur - Attibele - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Arcot - Vandavasi - Tindivanam - Pondy. This is the best amongst all the options available. It would take about 6-7 hours...My recommendation is based on a recent trip.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Mohanan

Folks,

I just returned from Pondi this morning. I stuck to my standard route Hosur- Krishnagiri-Vellore- Arni- Chetpet- Gingee- Tindivanam- Pondicherry.

Instead of Vellore-Arni-Gingee-Tindivanam,

you can do :

Vellore-Archot-Vandavasi-Tindivanam. That bypasses the Gingee-Tindivanam stretch too. It also lands you nicely on the Tindivanam bypass.

[Mohanan]

Originally Posted by ampere

Instead of Vellore-Arni-Gingee-Tindivanam,

you can do :

Vellore-Archot-Vandavasi-Tindivanam. That bypasses the Gingee-Tindivanam stretch too. It also lands you nicely on the Tindivanam bypass.

Thanks..... will try that next time. Pretty hot in Pondi now :(

[Milestone]

Experts need your suggestion on the route from Bengaluru to Pondy . I plan to drive on 09 Aug from Bengaluru and reach Pondy somewhere around 11.30 AM (considering I start at 05 AM), pls. suggest the best route in terms of drivability and ease of traffic. After going through the posts I decided to take the below route,

Bengaluru > Krishnagiri > Vellor > Vandavasi > Tindivanam > Pondy

Additionally, any pointers for good restaurant on the way for breakfast/Snacks

Cheers !!!!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Milestone

Bengaluru > Krishnagiri > Vellor > Vandavasi > Tindivanam > Pondy

Additionally, any pointers for good restaurant on the way for breakfast/Snacks

Thats the route all right.

Food : I would say dont break at Shoolagiri (A2B, Kamat etc). Go past Pallikonda toll and take a break at Aryas.

[raveesh_k]

Originally Posted by Milestone

Experts need your suggestion on the route from Bengaluru to Pondy . I plan to drive on 09 Aug from Bengaluru and reach Pondy somewhere around 11.30 AM (considering I start at 05 AM), pls. suggest the best route in terms of drivability and ease of traffic. After going through the posts I decided to take the below route,

Bengaluru > Krishnagiri > Vellor > Vandavasi > Tindivanam > Pondy

Additionally, any pointers for good restaurant on the way for breakfast/Snacks

Cheers !!!!

Hi,
Check out my details route map at:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2923886
Hope it helps!
Cheers.

[gadiyar]

We're planning a trip to Pondy on 15 August and plan to start from Indiranagar around 5:30 AM.

We're trying to decide between the Mulbagal -> Chittoor bypass -> Cheyyar -> Tindivanam route and the Hosur -> Salem -> Pondy route (as it's 4 lane).

Any pointers?

Also, do people know what time the Vasudev Adiga's just after Kolar opens? Is it likely to be open around 6-6:15 in the morning?

[wanderer4x4]

Originally Posted by raveesh_k

Hi,
Check out my details route map at:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2923886
Hope it helps!
Cheers.

Hi Raveesh,

Thanks for the great details you have posted about the route. It was a life saver almost. I just took a print out of your post and it was perfect in helping me reach Pondicherry on my visit last month. Also of great help was the post by vsbabu (Post # 446 on this thread) giving the same details. I can safely say that these two are THE perfect route guide for that sector with step by step directions.

So, guys planning a trip to Pondicherry, just take a print out of the post by Raveesh and also by vsbabu, you are good to go with your eyes closed...well not really closed if you are driving.

Originally Posted by wanderer4x4

Guys,

Need some input on a Bangalore Pondicherry trip that I might have to make next month. I plan to add Mahabalipuram to it as well. I plan to rent a self drive vehicle from Bangalore. My queries are following:

1) Being a self drive car (black plate), shall I be required to pay an entry tax at the TN border? And what about Pondicherry?

2) If I'm required to pay entry tax, how much is the rate for small cars? Where is it required to be paid? I mean the check post location. I plan to take the Bangalore- Vellore- Kanchipuram- Chengalpattu- Mahabalipuram- Pondicherry route.....

I had also raised the above query regarding entry tax on this route for self drive cars. I think no one had any information on this as it went unanswered. So, I decided to find it out the hard way by driving down in a self drive car. I am happy to report that I was not required to pay any other tax apart from the normal tolls. I was not even stopped by any policemen in the towns I had travelled to including Pondicherry. And I did not find any RTO check post either on the entire route. However, after crossing Tindivanam and nearing Pondicherry, I did see some barricades with RTO Check point written on them. But, these were placed by the side of the 6 lane highway, and there was no one manning them and no vehicle including commercial vehicles stopped there. So, I could also move unhindered into Pondicherry.

Disclaimer: Though I was not stopped any where and was not required to pay any entry tax, it should not be construed as a confirmation that there are no entry tax for self drive cars on this route. I might have been plain lucky, so fellow travellers should do their own due dilligence on this point.

[lyneld]

Originally Posted by Mohanan

I just returned from Pondi this morning. I stuck to my standard route Hosur- Krishnagiri-Vellore- Arni- Chetpet- Gingee- Tindivanam- Pondicherry.

I just returned from Pondi last night, and before leaving took your advice! Using the google maps route, getting to Pondi was a nightmare, so I decided to scour tbhp for alternatives before returning, and this turned out to be a lifesaver!

Great roads almost all the way, apart for a 19km stretch between Tindivanam and Gingee. I made the mistake of leaving late, so the roads were a bit crowded (especially getting onto the Krishnagiri stretch), but all-in-all it took a touch under 7 hours.

[RROD]

Originally Posted by ampere

Instead of Vellore-Arni-Gingee-Tindivanam,

you can do :

Vellore-Archot-Vandavasi-Tindivanam. That bypasses the Gingee-Tindivanam stretch too. It also lands you nicely on the Tindivanam bypass.

I just got back from Pondi.
While going I took

Bangalore-->Krishnagiri-->Vellore-->Thiruvannamalai-->Villupuram-->Pondi

On the way back

Pondi-->Tindivanam-->took a right near Gingee to Arcot-->Vellore-->Krishnagiri-->Bangalore

Krishnagiri --> Vellore stretch is very good, with some patches of road work still in progress.

While coming back from Pondi the road till Tindivanam is very good, but once you enter Tindivanm, the roads are almost non-existent, and once you get out of Tindivanam, the road to Gingee is also not very good.

Enquired in Gingee about the road conditions, and they told me to take the Arcot-->Vellore route, as even though it is longer, roads are much better, and as said the roads are much better on this route.

The Arcot-->Vellore route adds about 80 KM's but time taken to reach Bangalore is almost same as per what people told me in Gingee.

Hope this helps.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RROD

The Arcot-->Vellore route adds about 80 KM's but time taken to reach Bangalore is almost same as per what people told me in Gingee.

I would say this addition of 80km is worth it compared to the potholed roads that you may have to drive. Tindivanam has a clean bypass towards Vandavasi. So do the towns Vadavasi and Cheyyar. Its a much nicer drive.

The only issue being frequent diversions on the Vellore-Krishnagiri stretch. To me its any day still better than NH66 via Tiruvannamalai/Gingee.

[RROD]

Wanted to add more thing.
I and my wife ate at this restaurant Paris Restaurant.
Food was very tasty, felt like authentic Thai food.
Very very reasonably price. Unlike those in the Ashram area who refuse to even serve normal water.
Location : A canal divides the Ashram area, and rest of Pondicherry.
If you're coming from the Ashram are, just cross the Canal and it is on the lane facing the Canal itself. The board reads Paris Restaurant. Very good place to eat, ambience wise not the best, but you cannot beat the price and the food. I think it's also close to Lal Bahadur street.

Also in pondi there's a hotel Indian Delights, again very good place, seems like even the french have developed a taste for this place's food. Looks very Indian, reasonably priced and very tasty food and service.
Location : From the Ashram area, once past the canal drive on Lal Bahadur Shastri street, take a right at the first signal. It will be on your right side, after like about 30 or 50 mtr's.

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by wanderer4x4

I had also raised the above query regarding entry tax on this route for self drive cars. I think no one had any information on this as it went unanswered. So, I decided to find it out the hard way by driving down in a self drive car. I am happy to report that I was not required to pay any other tax apart from the normal tolls. I was not even stopped by any policemen in the towns I had travelled to including Pondicherry. And I did not find any RTO check post either on the entire route. However, after crossing Tindivanam and nearing Pondicherry, I did see some barricades with RTO Check point written on them. But, these were placed by the side of the 6 lane highway, and there was no one manning them and no vehicle including commercial vehicles stopped there. So, I could also move unhindered into Pondicherry.

Disclaimer: Though I was not stopped any where and was not required to pay any entry tax, it should not be construed as a confirmation that there are no entry tax for self drive cars on this route. I might have been plain lucky, so fellow travellers should do their own due dilligence on this point.

To my knowledge, there has never been any 'entry tax' to enter Pondicherry or any other state for that matter. (Experts can correct me if I'm wrong)

The barricades you mentioned is indeed the RTO check post. I've been checked there all 3 times I drove to Pondy during the past year, while on the way back. Mainly to look for drunken driving and 'smuggling' out liquor.